Poker is a game of strategy, skill, and calculated risks. But at its core, it’s a game heavily influenced by the strength of your hand. Whether you’re playing Texas Hold’em, Omaha, or any other variant, understanding the poker hand hierarchy is crucial. This guide will walk you through the ranking of poker hands, from the lowest to the highest, and help you grasp the odds of drawing each one.

Why Poker Hand Rankings Matter

In poker, every decision you make hinges on the strength of your cards. While a good player can bluff their way to a win with a weak hand, the fundamentals of the game revolve around understanding how different hands stack up against each other. Knowing the hierarchy of poker hands allows you to make smarter bets, calls, and folds.

Let’s dive into the poker hand hierarchy, starting from the weakest hand to the most powerful.

List of Poker Hand Rankings: Poker Hierarchy

1. High Card (No Pair)

Drawing Odds: 1 in 2 (50%)

This is the lowest-ranking hand in poker. A high card hand is made up of five cards that don’t form a pair, aren’t consecutive, and aren’t all the same suit. The strength of this hand lies in the highest-ranking card. For example, if your hand is A♠, 7♣, 4♥, 3♦, and 2♠, your hand is called “Ace-high” since Ace is your highest card.

Tiebreaker: In case of a tie, the player with the highest-ranking card wins. If the high card is the same, the next highest card (called the kicker) is used to determine the winner.

2. One Pair

Drawing Odds: 1 in 2 (42%)

A pair consists of two cards of the same rank and three other unrelated cards. For instance, a pair of Kings (K♠ K♦) with random cards like 9♣, 6♥, and 2♦ is referred to as a “pair of Kings.” This is a common hand in poker.

Tiebreaker: If two players both have one pair, the player with the higher pair wins. If the pairs are the same, the winner is determined by the kicker, the highest of the three remaining cards.

3. Two Pair

Drawing Odds: 1 in 21 (4.75%)

Two pair consists of two different pairs of cards, plus one unrelated card. An example would be a hand of Q♦, Q♠, 8♥, 8♣, and K♦—this is called “Queens and Eights.” In a showdown, two-pair hands are ranked first by the higher pair, then by the second pair, and finally by the kicker.

Tiebreaker: If two players have the same two pairs, the kicker determines the winner.

4. Three of a Kind

Drawing Odds: 1 in 47 (2.1%)

Also known as trips or a set, this hand consists of three cards of the same rank and two unrelated cards. For instance, if you have J♠ J♦ J♥ 5♣ 3♠, this is called “trip Jacks.”

Tiebreaker: If two players have three of a kind, the winner is determined by the rank of the three matching cards. If both have the same set, the kicker decides the winner.

5. Straight

Drawing Odds: 1 in 132 (0.39%)

A straight consists of five consecutive cards of different suits. An example of a straight is 5♦, 6♠, 7♣, 8♥, and 9♦. Straights can vary in value depending on the highest card in the sequence. The strongest straight is A♠, K♠, Q♠, J♦, and 10♥, known as “Broadway.”

Tiebreaker: In case of a tie, the straight with the highest-ranking card wins. For example, a straight to the Ace (A♠ K♣ Q♦ J♠ 10♥) beats a straight to the Queen (Q♠ J♦ 10♣ 9♦ 8♥).

6. Flush

Drawing Odds: 1 in 509 (0.2%)

A flush is made up of five cards of the same suit that are not in sequence. For example, a hand of A♠, J♠, 9♠, 4♠, and 2♠ is called an “Ace-high flush.”

Tiebreaker: If two players both have a flush, the flush with the highest card wins. If those cards are the same, the next highest card is compared, and so on.

7. Full House

Drawing Odds: 1 in 694 (0.14%)

A full house consists of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. For instance, a hand of Q♠ Q♦ Q♣ 7♥ 7♣ is called “Queens full of Sevens.”

Tiebreaker: In the event of a tie, the player with the higher three of a kind wins. If both players have the same three of a kind, the pair is compared to determine the winner.

8. Four of a Kind

Drawing Odds: 1 in 4,167 (0.024%)

This hand consists of four cards of the same rank and one unrelated card. For example, K♣ K♠ K♦ K♥ 3♦ is called “quad Kings.”

Tiebreaker: If two players have four of a kind, the player with the higher-ranking set wins. If both have the same four of a kind, the kicker determines the winner.

9. Straight Flush

Drawing Odds: 1 in 64,767 (0.0015%)

A straight flush consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit. For example, 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ 4♠ 3♠ would be called a “straight flush to the 7.” The highest-ranking straight flush is known as a Royal Flush.

Tiebreaker: In case of a tie, the straight flush with the highest-ranking card wins.

10. Royal Flush

Drawing Odds: 1 in 649,739 (0.000154%)

The most powerful hand in poker, the Royal Flush, consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten, all of the same suit. For example, A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠.

Tiebreaker: There is no tiebreaker for a Royal Flush—it’s unbeatable!

Poker Hands Ranking Table: Poker Hierarchy

Below is a summary of the poker hand rankings, from the lowest to the highest:

Rank	Hand	Example
1	High Card	A♥ 10♠ 8♣ 7♦ 5♠
2	One Pair	K♠ K♦ 9♠ 6♥ 2♦
3	Two Pair	Q♠ Q♥ 5♠ 5♦ 3♠
4	Three of a Kind	7♠ 7♥ 7♦ 4♠ 2♠
5	Straight	5♦ 6♥ 7♠ 8♦ 9♠
6	Flush	A♦ 10♦ 8♦ 6♦ 3♦
7	Full House	Q♠ Q♦ Q♥ 4♦ 4♠
8	Four of a Kind	10♠ 10♥ 10♦ 10♣ 2♠
9	Straight Flush	6♥ 7♥ 8♥ 9♥ 10♥
10	Royal Flush	10♣ J♣ Q♣ K♣ A♣

Poker Hands Probability: Poker Hierarchy

It’s important to understand the probabilities of each hand to make strategic decisions. Below is a probability table that shows the odds of being dealt each type of hand:

Hand	Probability	Odds Against
Royal Flush	0.000154%	649,739:1
Straight Flush	0.00139%	72,192:1
Four of a Kind	0.02401%	4,165:1
Full House	0.1441%	694:1
Flush	0.1965%	509:1
Straight	0.3925%	254:1
Three of a Kind	2.1128%	46:1
Two Pair	4.7539%	20:1
One Pair	42.2569%	1.36:1
High Card	50.1177%	0.995:1

Best Starting Hole Cards in Poker

While knowing the hierarchy is crucial, it’s also important to understand which starting hands give you the best chance of winning before the flop.

• Pocket Aces (A♠ A♣): The best starting hand, giving you a high chance of winning.
• Pocket Kings (K♠ K♣): Only second to Pocket Aces, this is a powerful hand.
• Ace-King Suited (A♠ K♠): Also known as Big Slick, this is a strong non-pair hand.

Poker Hand Probabilities: Calculation

The probability of getting a specific hand is calculated by dividing the number of ways the hand can occur by the total number of possible five-card hands (52 cards).

Formula:
P = Number of ways to draw the hand / Total number of 5-card hands (2,598,960)

For example, the probability of drawing a Royal Flush is 4/2,598,960, which equals 0.000154%, or 1 in 649,739.

Conclusion

Understanding poker hierarchy is crucial for success in the game. Mastering poker isn’t just about bluffing or reading your opponents; it’s about understanding the fundamentals, starting with hand rankings. By knowing the rankings and probabilities of each hand, you can make more informed decisions, improve your strategy, and increase your chances of winning. The poker hierarchy is the backbone of your decision-making process, from pre-flop to showdown. Whether you’re playing casually or aiming for professional games, always remember: poker is a game of both luck and strategy, and knowing the hand rankings gives you a significant edge.  So, the next time you’re at the table, keep this hierarchy in mind and play your cards wisely!

Poker Hierarchy FAQs

1. Why is understanding poker hand rankings important?

Understanding poker hand rankings is fundamental to making informed decisions during the game. It allows you to assess the strength of your hand compared to others, helping you decide whether to bet, raise, call, or fold. Without this knowledge, you risk making incorrect judgments and losing chips unnecessarily.

2. What is the highest-ranking hand in poker?

The Royal Flush is the highest-ranking hand in poker. It consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten, all of the same suit (e.g., A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠). It is unbeatable and extremely rare.

3. What is the probability of getting a Royal Flush?

The probability of being dealt a Royal Flush is 0.000154%, or about 1 in 649,739 hands. It’s the rarest hand in poker.

4.What are the best starting hands in poker?

The best starting hands in poker include:

• Pocket Aces (A♠ A♣): The strongest starting hand.
• Pocket Kings (K♠ K♣): The second-strongest hand.
• Ace-King Suited (A♠ K♠): A powerful non-pair hand, also known as “Big Slick.”

5. How does a tiebreaker work for flushes?

If two players have a flush, the hand with the highest card in the flush wins. If the highest card is the same, the next highest card is used, and this process continues until a winner is determined.